Hengli

Hengli is a collaboration between artist Ahaad Alamoudi and artist and curator Mengna Da. It discusses notions of translation and preservation: how messages form and reform as they are passed down from generation to generation, through different objects, subjects and environments. Shot in front of Brooklyn’s Immigration Office, the video imagines a future where human beings invent Hengli, a universal language agent that can be understood by anyone. Where all languages – English, Arabic, Chinese, etc. - are banned by the governments to ensure total transparency in their citizens’ communication. Yet, when the duo (wE) lose Hengli, they have to explore communication and memory building through different means...The piece highlights the struggles, friction and tension that occur when information is morphed through translated dialogues and movements.